Alonda Williams, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, offers a thoughtful perspective on how leaders can use AI with greater intention. In this opinion piece, she argues that while many people are using AI to move faster and save time, far fewer are using it to think more deeply. Her central message is simple but powerful: the greatest value of AI is not just in giving us answers, but in helping us uncover the better questions we should be asking in the first place.
Drawing from her experience across both the tech and nonprofit sectors, Alonda reflects on the way curiosity, judgment, and self-awareness remain essential leadership skills in an AI-driven world. She highlights that AI can reduce the barriers that often keep leaders from asking hard questions, including time, vulnerability, and fear of judgment. At the same time, she warns that over-relying on AI for every draft, summary, or framework can come at a cost if leaders stop exercising their own critical thinking and discernment.
In the blog, she explores how AI can help leaders:
- Go beyond productivity and focus on deeper reflection
- Ask better, more honest questions instead of only seeking faster answers
- Strengthen their judgment, values, and decision-making
- Recognize when work requires human discernment rather than simple processing
- Use curiosity as a tool for stronger, more intentional leadership
- Think more critically about how they are using AI in their daily work
She also points to an important opportunity: AI has made thoughtful support and intellectual exploration more accessible than ever before. For leaders who may not have access to large teams, advisors, or extensive networks, AI can open the door to deeper thinking and new possibilities. Alonda makes the case that this shift is not only about technology, but about leadership, honesty, and the willingness to grow.
Read Alonda’s full blog here: https://www.geekwire.com/2026/opinion-everyone-is-asking-ai-better-questions-nobody-is-asking-themselves-better-ones/
